Why do we go through difficult and painful things? Religion has so hurt many a believer by telling us that “We are to pray to be removed from/out of these things.” That they are from “the devil.” But is that the actual truth? It actually appears to be the opposite of truth for scripture tells us to “Count is ALL joy when we go through these things; for they are all working for our good, our perfection and HIS glory.” This, the Apostle Paul, the father of the Gospel, who led us into truth of our life in Christ and He in us, this, is where we are to LIVE – no matter what! We are being “fixed” in Him, in and through these very things.

We can see this echo in Job’s life through all he endured he comes to complete fullness of ‘knowing God’, trusting all HIS ways are good, and is fixed in God so great, that nothing could move him from that place afterward. God was planting His very own love, His image in him and upon him, such faith for God in a fallen human being – that goes beyond that which the world could offer or the enemy could inflict upon him. He was building a sure foundation – Himself. This, was of such greater value to and for Job than all he had previously had (world/systems) for he came to really know, love and trust in a personal God. A test that would stand the test of time and be recorded for US. For most of what we go through is for others.

This is the two-fold purpose of a “Life-for-a-Life” as we ourselves are indeed coming to know Him (God), dying to these things (hardships, sickness, calamity, painful and hard things) – that the life of Christ come forth in us for others. (This is Col. 3 working itself in our life). It really is about other-love. Yet, when we’re in the heat of the difficulty all we “see” is what is happening TO us.

We must settle in, saying “Nevertheless, Thy will be done!” In complete and utter surrender and abandon and see through to Him in each thing. That is REALLY IS happening for my good and His glory (yet to be revealed). This is a hard thing to do and to learn. But as we continue to cry out in surrender “I cannot, but You can, You can have it all!” – He brings us through, inch by inch, sometimes all at once. That’s for Him to decide. But, He may not deliver us from these circumstances. We need to learn to be okay with that. For struggle and sorrow come when we refuse to surrender.

All suffering is redemptive!

And the thing is, though He may not pluck us out of the situation? He delivers us with His presence. His joy, the ecstasy of Himself and we come to the place that He alone, is MORE than enough! He is all that matters. We have willingly surrendered ALL that we might have ALL of Him. This is what free will is all about.

All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give. That others might come to know Him as I am coming to know Him in the process. This is the Kingdom of God.

Phil. 3:10 – “That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing and a participant in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death (to all things), so that I might somehow attain to the resurrection (His life, in all things).”